Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Bad Tidings
by Just Jamie
Summary: Set almost a month after the end of the Angel episode Not Fade away This story picks up as old friends gather for another friends funeral.
1. Chapter 1

Buffy: Bad Tidings

Seattle: 

"Oh look, it's raining again."

"Yeah, we kinda noticed that on our own Xander."

"So can someone tell me again, why are we here?" Xander looked at Willow as he asked.

"Well, Something's happening here, and Buffy and Giles want us to check it out. It's something bad, I can feel it."

"What ya feeling?" Faith's voice rang out through the rain.

"I'm not sure, it's old. Very old, the Earth itself is fighting it, and losing. Badly. It's sucking the life from the very planet around us."

"That's gotta be a pretty big vamp to do that." Xander trying in vain to lighten the atmosphere. Willow glowered, then smiled slightly at him. 

"It's rising," Willow added. "Tearing through the barriers, it's coming...AAARRRGGHGHHHH." Willow collapsed as though she'd been struck by an unseen force.

Xander was immediately at her side, Faith was on guard, waiting for something to jump at her or the others. Nothing jumped, but something skulked into view.

"Mortals. Your time is at an end. Your ephemeral existance is at an end. You are food, you will be consumed by the Great one. He rises, and with his coming, so shall come your death..." As he spoke, a crossbow bolt struck him in the chest. He looked down, and laughed. "I am but the messenger, I shall be avenged by the death of your world." Then he turned to dust.

"He talked too much, and he threatened my girl, no one does that." Kennedy was next to Willow before Xander had even noticed her.

"He may have talked too much, but at least he was talking sweetie, we needed info, and he seemed all too willing to give us what we wanted." Willow looked into Kennedy's eyes.

"Well, yeah, but I turned the corner, saw him gloating, saw you on the ground, what was I supposed to think?" Kennedy kissed the witch lightly on the forehead.

Lightning filled the alley around them. It all seemed to be striking the ground just a few metres from them, but didn't go any further, in the lightning, a shape was forming, it looked like... Nah, it couldn't be. Could it?

A small garden of remembrance, just north of Kensington, London. 

"Why is it that we only ever see each other in cemeteries these days?"

"We do dangerous jobs." 

"Yeah, we do, but it always seems to be our friends who die on us." Buffy finally turned to look at Angel, he turned away to try and hide the burns and scars on his face. "I've seen you look worse you know?"

"Yeah, I know, but this time I look like I've been chewed and spat out by a dragon. Which is pretty much what happened. I wish it had been me." The sudden change of tone and subject caught Buffy off guard.

"Wish what was you?" Slightly confused she moved closer to the man who was, is, will always be, the love of her life.

"It should have been me that died Buffy, not Wes. He was a good man, he didn't want to do it, deep down, I know he didn't want to do it. But he went along with it, because of me." Pain deeper than the scars on his face welled within the vampire; he winced in pain as a single salty tear ran through a still open wound.

Another figure joined them in the dark shading under their tree. "It's over. I really am, the last of the Watchers now. With more slayers coming each day, I could have used Wesley, he was a good man." Rupert Giles looked pained as he spoke.

"Remember," Buffy said, "when he first arrived in Sunnydale? You could have whipped him with a wet cloth." All three laughed gently, remembering the bumbling fool who stumbled into their lives just 6 years previously.

"He died well." Another figure appeared a short distance away from the group. As was his right, he was avenged.

"Illyria, I thought I had told you about doing that 'popping up in the middle of conversations thing'!" Angel looked exasperated as he spoke to the young woman. 

"I don't think we've been introduced, I'm Buffy." 

"Yes, you are the slayer. The one who bested my mother." Illyria spoke gently.

"Your mother?" Buffy asked

"Yes, you know her as The First. She who is mother to all evil. Even as I slumbered deep in the well, I heard rumblings of her defeat; you must be a great warrior? Better than the fool? I would challenge you." 

"The fool?" Buffy looked confused.

"She means Spike. These two became sparring partners for a while. Well, more like Spike became her punch bag for a while."

"The half breed amused me for a while, but now he is broken. I wish to fight again."

"Where is Spike? I thought he might be here, is he, you know, OK?" Buffy was glad of the opportunity to bring the subject of Spike up, he couldn't be sure how Angel would have reacted.

"He's in a bad way. A Gth'Ark demon ripped one of his arms right off at the shoulder and a Skilearn took a fair sized chunk out of his left leg. Nothing major in other words, but he's still feeling a bit shy about showing up in public. I've tried to get a necromancer to look at him, but, well, our contacts list kind of dried up when we took down the circle of the black thorn. The Wolf, the Ram and the Hart have put the word out about us, so we're persona non grate with most of the high level mages." 

"I know of a few who may be willing to assist. But please, for the love of God, don't tell Spike who introduced you to them." Giles looked slightly shamefaced as he made the offer to help one of the creatures he had been brought up to despise. "I suppose I do owe him for what he did in Sunnydale. Saving us and all that." 

"I'll be sure to keep your name out of it Rupert, and, well, thanks. I…"

"AAAARRRGGGHHH" The woman introduced as Illyria doubled up in agony. "Something is coming. Something so dark, not even the sun can show it." She winced again, as if even speaking caused her great pain.

"What's coming Illyria, what?" Angel was at her side supporting her as the woman's form shifted; she looked almost the same, except blue.

"I do not know, Vampire. But I do know, it is more evil, more powerful than anything you have faced so far. This is the end. Not just of your world, but of them all."

"She aint just whistling Dixie Angel. This is the big one. Everything you've faced till now were the preliminaries. This is the main event."

Angel spun on his heels to seek the source of the familiar voice, and there before him stood the glowing form of…

Seattle. 

"Buffy? Is that you?"


	2. Chapter 2

Some explainations, some answers, more questions and some sheer insanity. 

Here it is.

Bad Tidings  
Part 2

Seattle. 

Her senses were ablaze. There was sweat in the air, fear, mingled with pain. Then she smelt the dust on the wind. A demon had been here, but gone now. Why was she here if the demon was already gone?

"Buffy, hi. I thought you were in England with Giles." The male spoke, to someone. Was it her? He seems familiar to her. A memory of a past life and friends long gone. The memories made her uncomfortable, she snarled them away.

"That's some growl you've got there Buff. I've seen your hair look better too." One of the strong ones approached her. Three girls, all strong. One reeked of magyks, the other two; another sense of familiarity, then it was gone. The elder warrior woman got closer, too close. She struck, fast and brutal, aiming, not for a killing blow. Just enough to knock her back, stop the advance until she knew where she was.

"Whoa, Buff. You're finally learnin' how to throw a punch." The sudden blow took faith aback. "We're just wondering if you're OK. I'd say it's not."

Willow stood up, "she's not listening. Can she even her you? I'm going to try and reach her telepathically."

"Buffy? Can you understand me? It's Willow. I'm here with Xander, Kennedy and Faith. What's wrong with you?"

"F. F, Faith?" The word stumbled over itself as it came from her mouth. So filled was she with rage. The memory crystallised in her mind, "Faith!" and she struck. Harder than before, because this time she did want to kill this phantom, wipe it from her mind. She knew Faith, and she knew Faith was evil.

England

"Cordy?" Angel was stunned; he stepped back to take in what he was seeing.

"Hi there hero." Cordelia stepped towards Angel and patted his cheek. Despite the pain of the contact Angel didn't flinch. "I'm back."

"Cordy? But aren't you…? You know? Dead?" Buffy was instantly on the defensive. Memories of The First, already flashing into her mind.

"Hi Buffy, before you say another word. Angel, tell her that you felt me touch you there." Angel could only nod in Buffy's direction. "I just wanted to prove that I'm not the First Evil come back to haunt you, again. It really is me. Cordelia Chase, back from the dead for one night only. I know that the last time I did this Angel; I said then that it was a one time only deal. Well it was, but this is different, the P.T.B. want you to know something. They thought it would be best coming from me. Can you believe it? All-powerful, all knowing creatures and they haven't got your cell phone number. Sheesh, they really do run a two bit operation up there."

"Cordelia, not to sound too intrusive, but what are you doing here?" Giles was regaining his composure slowly but surely. The shock of seeing someone whose funeral he attended mere months ago was almost enough to stun him. But then, he was a watcher; he had to be prepared for anything. But this was beyond him.

"Oh yeah, hi to you too Giles. Don't feel happy to see an old friend or anything." Cordelia smiled as Giles started to look guilty. "I may as well tell you now. Something is coming. Something big, something bad. Something that you might not be able to stop."

"What is it?" Buffy asked, still a little perturbed by her old friends apparent resurrection. 

"Pain."

"Pain? Pain is coming? What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what it says. Back, before there was good, before there was evil, there was pain. And now, it's coming back with a hankering for revenge."

"Ow!" Buffy staggered back slightly.

"Are you alright Buffy?" Giles was at his slayers side.

"Yeah, I think. Willow is shouting in my head. Telling me to stop. But I'm not doing anything. Am I?" 

"Not here you're not." Came Cordelia's cryptic response.

Seattle.

"Buffy, stop this. Faith isn't your enemy any more. What's wrong with you." Willows telepathic cry went unanswered as Buffy continued her anger filled attack on Faith. There was no control to her movements; it was as if she had given herself over purely to instinct. "I'm going to probe her mind, it might stop her. It might not." She looked at Kennedy, who despite the fight, mere feet away from her, had not budged from her lover's side.

Willow stared at Buffy, and probed her mind, her memories, and her soul. What she found there made her weep for her friend. Pain, grief, anger and power. "My God. She did it. She really did it."

Seattle. 

"Faith, stop fighting!"

"Love to Red, if I thought for a minute she would too." Faith retorted as Buffy struck another blow to her stomach and winded her. She fell backwards and fell to her knees. Willow took the chance to come between the two opponents.

"Buffy, stop this now!" She commanded.

Buffy did stop, and stared at Willow. "Dead! Not real. Can't be real, another trick." Buffy raised her fist to strike her best friend. Willow, acting out of reflex raised a magical shield around herself and deflected the blow. Buffy looked again, confused.

"O.K. Buffy, you can stop now. I did tell you things would be a little different here didn't I?" A figure stepped from the shadows. Xander gasped as he recognised the voice and the posture without even seeing the face.

"Anya?…"

Now Anya, stared, and tears welled in her eyes. "Xander. Oh my God, Xander. You're alive. I didn't realise.." She ran and hugged the one, true love of her life. So fiercely and tightly that Xander felt momentarily as though she would crush him. She then proceeded to kiss him, passionately. Willow looked away, in a vain attempt to give the pair privacy. "But what happened to your eye? Have you been working out? Have you been eating properly? Willow has he been eating properly? Faith, what are you wearing? It makes you look like a frump. You never used to wear clothes that made you look like a frump, but then, you are a lot older than when I last saw you. How's business at the magic box? Is it still in profit? How much richer am I?" Anya finally paused, as she realised that everyone was staring at her. "Uhm, did I run off at the mouth again?"

"Just a little." Xander was regaining a little of his composure. "I suppose after everything we've been through, I shouldn't be surprised by this turn of events, I mean, I think we've all been dead at least once now, though Buff still holds the record for most resurrections, and I should know, I've been involved in 'em all." 

"What are you talking about Xander? I'm not dead!" 

"You are in this reality Anya." Willows voice was weaker than usual. "I think I've figured out what's going on." 

"Great, have you got a cliff notes version for the factually retarded members of the group?" Xander looked at his oldest friend with earnest pain and desperation etched on his face. 

"This Anya, and this Buffy, come from an alternate reality. One where we are all dead. Am I right?"

"You got it in one. You always were, sorry, are, the smart one." Anya replied. In our reality, the biker demons that attacked when we were bringing Buffy back from the dead killed you all. She woke up, a little miffed at the demons and tore them all to shreds. Everything went downhill from there. The first attacked, and killed all of the potential slayers in waiting, then killed you Faith, sorry about that by the way. Then, well then it killed Giles."

"Talk about your historical rewrites." Kennedy stalked towards Anya, but Buffy leapt in front of her and snarled.

"Buffy had no choice but to accept the Shadow men's offer, and she took the demon's essence into herself. She gained the full power that they had always intended the Slayers to have. But with the power came a little of the demons mentality. But she's fiercely protective, of me anyway. But she used the power to push back the super vamps and close the hell mouth for good. But then IT came. It tore our world down around us, and there was nothing we could do. It took everything that was left to get us here, to warn you, to help you stop it."

"Stop what? What's coming Anya?" Willow asked, taken aback with all of this new information.

England.

"Pain? What the hell are you talking about Cordelia?" Buffy was both exasperated and a little jealous of the way that her old, and formerly deceased friend was touching Angel, and the way he was reacting."

Cordelia took her hand off of Angel and said, "There, all better now." Angel felt his face and his scars had healed. "Pain, Buffy, is what's coming to destroy this universe. The powers don't want that to happen. So they sent me to warn you about it, so you can prepare one of your oh so timely plans, and save the day."

"What is this 'pain' that is coming Cordelia? Is it a demon? A God of Pain?" Giles's mind was already racing, full of possibilities, none of them good."

"No Giles, it's not a demon, or a God. It is the embodiment of Pain." Cordelia took a second to brush a strand of hair from her eye. "As you know, the Universe came into being from nothingness. But that nothingness had a consciousness. It gave birth to creation, and the birthing process is painful enough when it's a baby, but imaging giving birth to a Universe. The Pain was extraordinary, and it too, was aware of itself. It suffered perpetual torment. Just so that the Universe could live. It got angry, and began to lash out. But the other children of creation, Love, Hope, and even Evil, combined forces to beat it back and hold it in check. But then you," She looked straight at Buffy as she spoke, "beat Evil. You tipped the balance, Evil was an integral part in the barrier that was holding Pain at bay. Without it in place, Pain could return. And it has. With a fiery vengeance. And you have to stop it before it undoes all of creation."


	3. Chapter 3

The driveway of the "Academy" was long, longer than it had any right to be, Buffy thought. But the grounds were large, large enough to hide the training that the slayers had to go through. Secluded enough to deter even the most determined spy. Though God help any who braved the woods, to approach.

"So this is where you lay your hat these days? Very nice I must say. But what happened to my invite to the housewarming?" Spike was only half joking.

"Well, you were dead. Or at least, more dead than usual anyway. And Angel was in charge of Satan's own law firm. When things like that happen, I kind of score people of my speed dial." Buffy's retort had a sugar icing that was her smile.

"Wow! You live here now? This is even bigger than my dad's old place in Sunnydale. Speaking of which, don't piss of the I.R.S." Cordelia looked in awe at the sprawling estate as it flew past the windows of the minivan.

"I've never really asked, but I think Kennedy's dad may own the I.R.S. Buffy said playfully, knowing deep down that Cordy still felt bitter about her fall from Grace, just weeks before graduation.

As the van pulled to a halt at the main door of the building, Buffy could see a welcoming committee had gathered. Spike could recognise many of them from his time spent with Buffy and the potential slayers. There was Rona, standing ahead of the other girls, stone faced and angry looking, as usual.

As they exited the car they all heard Willows telepathic broadcast, "Come to the library ASAP." Spike shook his head till the ringing stopped.

"Spike, you really are alive! Kind of." One of the girls ran to him and hugged him.

"Yeah, Rachel, I'm alive. Hello Maggie." Spike stared at the slayer.  
"Uhm, hi Spike. Well, err, I've been elected spokesperson and we kind of want to apologise for what we did in L.A. But you have to admit, working for Wolfram and Hart? They were just the wrong side of the good/evil divide, we couldn't be sure you weren't like, bad again." She spoke so fast, almost tripping over her own words.

"It's OK. Though to be honest, I never really worked for them. Did I?" He looked at Angel. 

"Well I never signed any contracts with you. I didn't want you to think you were wanted." Angel's reply was a little more bitter sounding than his usual halfhearted comebacks. But Spike chose to ignore it.

"Hey Blondie." Rona stepped up to Spike, "How's you?" Her face erupted into a beaming smile. Her shining white teeth glowed from her ebony face. Spike couldn't help but smile back.

"Been better, been worse. You know how it is. I think.whoof." Spike stopped suddenly, as did Angel. At the front door of the building. Buffy was already half way down the hall and didn't notice. "Hey, Buff! Kinda need an invite here." 

Buffy turned. "You know, I almost forgot that. Come on it, both of you." Angel smiled as he crossed the threshold and began to follow Buffy down the hallway. Buffy pushed open the double doors of the library, and was immediately knocked off her feet, as someone flew over her and jumped onto Angel. "What the hell?" She was on her feet again in an instant and trying to get a grip on the situation. She saw Angel, fighting with, with, her!

"Angelus. The other Buffy hissed as she punched and kicked at Angel. Now Anya pushed past Buffy.

"Anya?" Buffy shouted.

"Calm down Buffy." This is Angel, not Angelus. Anya turned to Giles, "this is Angel right? 'Cos if it's Angelus, she can start hitting him again."

"No, no. It's quite safe to have her stop now. This is Angel." Giles responded as the more feral Buffy now stalked towards him, he backed away cautiously.

"Giles? Not dead?" The extra dimensional Buffy grabbed Giles in bear hug, and he almost couldn't breathe. "Oh, I missed Giles. All better now. Giles is here."

"Just what the hell is going on here? Who is she? Why does she look like me? Why is she crushing my watcher?" Buffy looked around in exasperation. "And are you alive again? Or are you another echo sent by the powers that be?" The final two questions were aimed at Anya. Anya tried to smile sweetly. She failed.

"Buffy. Or Buffy's to be more accurate." Willow stepped in between 'her' Buffy and the others. "This Anya, and Buffy come from another dimension. One that's already been destroyed by the Pain entity. They came here to help us stop it before it takes our world the same way." Willow stopped for a moment as though to double-check her facts in her head before continuing. "I see you've brought someone back from the dead too, hi Cordy." Cordelia waved from her position, firmly ensconced as she was, behind Angel.

The mutual explanations took almost an hour, during which Buffy2, as Willow had christened her, had not strayed more than two feet from Giles' side. "So," Willow concluded, "we currently have on our side. An army of slayers, two Buffy's a reformed vengeance demon, a higher being, a Wiccan, a watcher, two ensouled vampires, a demi-goddess, and a whole lot of books to study. I don't think this thing has a hope in Hades of beating us." Willow's words were more up beat than she actually felt, but morale was waning, she could sense it. This thing, this Pain, had the Powers that be, worried. It had destroyed other dimensions. They were the last line of defence, and she couldn't bring herself to believe that they stood a chance.

"Slight correction there Will, I'm not a higher being, I just have the knowledge of one." Cordelia corrected. "At least I think so. I can kind of heal people, so I don't really know."

"I think, it might be best if we retired for the evening. Perhaps, in the morning things will seem clearer, and we can begin to formulate a plan of action." Giles found his suggestion greeted with near unanimous approval. Especially from Buffy2, who smiled and nodded at his every word. So much so that Giles began to feel a little uncomfortable.

Willow had thought ahead and already had some spare rooms set up for the guests, as everyone retired for the night, she took Buffy aside. "Are you OK Buffy?"

"Yeah, sure. Kind of, I think so. I don't know Will. I had the weirdest dream. I managed to catch a few zzzz's on the plane, and I dreamt that I was back in Sunnydale, killing Angel again. But it felt different from any dream I've ever had."

"Was it one of your 'prophecy dreams'?" Willow asked.

"I hope not. I don't know if I can go there again. But Giles is right, it'll look better in the morning." Buffy smiled at her friend. It was an empty smile; she and Willow both knew it. But the attempt showed promise.

3 a.m. The Academy.

The scream woke everyone in the building. So loud and piercing was it, that no one could ignore it. The main hall quickly filled with people wanting to see what was happening. But once they saw, they wished they hadn't.

"Rona." Buffy whispered, she had been one of the first to arrive. She hadn't been sleeping, just restlessly turning on her bed. She had found the young slayer draped on the wall, hanging by her wrists from two light fittings. Her dark skin was wan and lifeless. Two puncture wounds on her neck stood out against her near flawless unmarked skin. The worst part though, was what was written on the wall next to her. Written in Rona's own blood. The words, 'Pain has arrived'. "I want everyone ready for action. We have an intruder, I want them found and I want them in a dustpan." Almost immediately girls were running off to their rooms to dress and arm themselves. "I want to know who did this and how they got in." Buffy shouted again, as she worked to free Rona's hands from the ropes binding her to the light fixtures.

"I'd say we already have a good idea who it was Buffy." Kennedy's voice rang out from the top of the stairs. Buffy turned to look at her, stood next to Willow. The witch's head cradled on her shoulder as she wept. "We have two vamps on the premises. I think they're our suspects."

Buffy looked to Angel and Spike. She knew Kennedy was right, she just hoped that she wasn't. "I want you two in the cellar, where we can keep an eye on you. If we don't find any sign of a break in. One of you will be dust. So help me God."

"Spike? How could you?" Angel turned and punched Spike hard. Spike turned his head back to face Angel, his vampiric features on show, he punched back.

"It wasn't me." Spike punched Angel again, square in the face, as Angel's features also twisted to display his teeth. "I've still got my soul. I would never hurt her." Spike punched again, and again. "Buffy2 was right, you are Angelus. You murdering sod." 

Kennedy pushed her way in between the two vampires. "That's enough." One of you did it. I'd gladly let you dust each other, but I'd rather we just got the one who did it. So I can dust you myself."

No one noticed, but Buffy had closed her eyes. She knew that the other Buffy had taken on the demons power when the shadow men offered it. She now wondered if it had given her an insight that she herself lacked. She now tried to tap into that, to see if she too could get a sense of who had killed one of 'her girls'. She got her answer. Like a cry in the ether, she heard a plaintive voice. "Angel. Back away. Now." Buffy strode towards her erstwhile lover, fierce determination on her face. "Why did you do it? Why?" Angel turned to her.

"Why not?" He laughed as he grabbed Kennedy and bolted for the door. Kennedy struggled hard against his grip, but it was vice like in its strength. Stronger than any vampire she had fought before. Lightning filled the air around him.

"Let her go Angelus!" Willow had appeared between Angel and his means of escape. Glowing white with energy, her hair and skin radiating light.

"I don't think so Willow, you see, if you cast a spell in my direction, there's a risk of it hitting your baby. You don't want to lose another one in the crossfire do you?" Willow hesitated, and it was all the time Angel needed to bolt through the doorway, dragging Kennedy as he went. 

They were enveloped in the surrounding darkness before anyone could catch them.

Willow fell to her knees, pain and fear filled her heart.

In the ether, a fearsome voice laughed.

Just before sunrise, they found her. Huddled in foetal ball, some half mile from the school. She was dazed, weak, and she'd been bitten. 

The call had gone out to the main building and Buffy and Willow were heading off in the direction of Kennedy. Xander was helping Dawn get the infirmary ready for use. "So, why d'ya think he left her alive?" Dawn looked at Xander as he set out bandages and gauze for use when Kennedy was brought in.

"I have no idea Dawnie, maybe she put up too much of a fight? Maybe he thought he'd killed her. We'll know, when Kennedy is strong enough to tell us." They could hear the commotion from downstairs, "I think they're back." Xander rushed to the door and opened it to allow the patient and her entourage entrance to the small, but well stocked sickbay.

Buffy entered first, still on guard, still edgy. Willow followed sweat on her brow as she concentrated on something. Dawn wondered what she was doing, until she saw Kennedy floating in through the open door. Willow had levitated her all the way back, powerful though she was; it was still taxing her powers and taking all of her concentration. Kennedy floated to the bed that had been prepared for her and gently she floated on to it. Willow at last gave out a gasp and staggered backwards, Xander, her forever friend was at her back to catch her. He helped her to one of the large chairs in one of the corners of the room. Dawn decided to put her 6-month course in first aid into practice and began ministering to Kennedy's wounds. She prioritised the bites on her neck first of all, the blood was still flowing freely from the wound, using some gauze strips and antiseptic she began to clean the bite. Kennedy winced at the stinging touch of the antiseptic lotion, then, as though realising what was happening, she relaxed again.

"Willow, when you feel up to it, do you think you and Giles can cast the de-invitation spell? I don't want him back in here. We'll get him, but it'll be on our terms." Willow, whose eyes had never left the prone form of her lover now looked at Buffy and nodded.

"Give me a couple of minutes, and I'll get right on it." Willow smiled; it was a shallow smile, a smile tinged with relief.

"Oh no you won't." Xander tried his masterful voice on Willow. "You're taking some serious time out after that levitation trick. You had 6 slayers with you; you think one of them couldn't have carried her back here? They are all kinda strong you know?" Xander was only half serious, but he was looking at Willow's pale complexion and was genuinely concerned.

Willow's wan smile opened up to reveal a genuine teethy smirk, "And then who would have protected us if it had been a trap?"

"Me." A voice from the doorway made everyone jump. Buffy2 stood there, well, skulked there at least. "I followed all the way. No sense of evil, long gone I think."

"Once I've completed the de-invitation spell, we need to get you using full sentences." Willow, looked at both Buffy's. Her smirk widened to a full smile.

"Willow?" The weak voice came from the bed. Willow was on her feet and at the bedside before Xander could even react.

"I'm here sweetie, don't worry. I'm right here." Willow took Kennedy's hand as though to prove her words to the slayer.

"I fought him, every step of the way." Kennedy gasped, "I punched, kicked, even scratched him. How girly is that eh? Then he stopped, and he bit me. It was a weird feeling, like my life flowing out of me, you know?" Across the small room, both Buffy's nodded. "He must have thought I was dead. He just dropped me right there. Said something about teaching her a lesson. Did he mean me? Or you." Kennedy's voice grew weaker as she began to lose consciousness. "Buffy?" She whispered, Buffy drew nearer to hear what Kennedy was saying. "Find him for me. Kick his ass." Was all she said as she finally lost the fight against sleep.

"We will." Was all Buffy said, as she laid a hand on Kennedy's arm as if to seal the agreement.

"We might need to call a Doctor in the morning." Dawn said to Willow, "She's lost a lot of blood, she might need a transfusion or something." Willow nodded in agreement. 

"Right, onto the spell to keep him out." Willow strode to the door. "If she wakes up, let me know, OK? I'll be in the library with Giles." It was Dawns turn to nod silently.

Two hours later, the spell had been cast, Buffy and Willow had walked around the house, burning the required herbs and Willow making the appropriate chants as they walked.

The two friends now sat in the library with Giles and Spike. "So any ideas how long he's been Angelus? I'm fairly sure he was Angel in London, did anything happen on the flight?" Buffy looked at Giles and Spike.

"Well apart from the most appalling nightmare, no." Giles replied

"I had a nightmare too." Buffy replied. She looked at Spike, "you too?"

"Spike nodded. "Yeah, a flashback to an event I'd rather have forgotten."

"That's how it works. It's not got much power right now, it's drained after jumping dimensions, and so it influences people to become its servants. It makes them relive their greatest painful memories, with ever so subtle changes, just to make it more painful." The group turned and saw Anya standing in the doorway. "I'd guess that one of Angel's most painful memories involved Angelus, and that was his doorway back."

"Mine involved him too." Giles said in a hushed whisper. "I had just discovered Jenny." He faltered slightly as he recalled the events of the nightmare. "But this time, Angelus was still there, playing with her, her corpse as though it were a toy. Mocking and laughing all the time. I was powerless, I couldn't move, I could only watch." Giles stopped recounting the dream and closed his eyes, as though talking about it had brought the images back again, the pain was etched on his face.

"Mine too." Buffy replied, in part to break the painful silence of the room, and partly to divert her watcher from his obvious pain. "It was just as I was killing Angel. I stuck the sword in him, and he laughed. He pulled on the sword and it slid into him even further. The portal had closed, but he was still there, laughing, and he spoke to me, he said 'gotta do better than that.' Then I woke up.

Knowing how painful that event had been the first time around, Willow changed the subject. "OK, so it struck first. It took out Angel, and hit us with Angelus. Now we need to deal with the situation."

"Right Will. I'll double the patrols tonight. If he does decide to come back, we'll have to be ready for him." Buffy seemed to shift slightly, gone was the morose girl who had sat there moments ago, now she was THE slayer again. She knew what needed to be done, and she knew how to do it.

"I'll try and get a hold of an orb of Thesala. We could re-ensoul him?" Willow hadn't really intended it to end up as a question, but it hung in the air as Buffy considered it.

"OK, Willow, you do that, but if he attacks before you're ready, we'll take him down the old fashioned way." 

"Buffy?" Giles asked, "Are you sure you would be able to do it? Kill him I mean?"

"If he's stupid enough to leave me no choice, then I will."


	4. Chapter 4

Darkness fell, a little too fast and too early for Buffy's liking. She sometimes thought that Mother Nature liked to play sick jokes on her. Knowing what lay out there in the dark, and letting it loose a little early. She moved these thoughts to the back of her mind as she moved through the eerily quiet halls. The decision had been made earlier to send the sophomore age kids home. With Angelus loose she didn't want a bunch of hysterical pre teens screaming the walls down around her.

She walked from one end of the main building to the other, checking windows and any other entrances were locked and guarded. Three slayers on each door. Even if Angelus could find a way around the de-invitation spell, he'd have to go through three well-trained slayers to get into the building. Any one of them alone could take down the average vampire. But Buffy knew, Angelus was anything but average. The best she could expect the three to do was hold him at bay until either she or Faith arrived. They had both dealt with Angelus in the past, they knew how he operated, how he hunted. It was more sport to him than anything. Buffy wasn't even entirely sure he needed to drink the blood of his victims, as though he could sustain himself on their fear and pain.

She hated him. But she loved the man he truly was. Angel and Angelus were part and parcel of each other; Buffy had learned that the hard way. Could she bring herself to kill him, again? "God, I need a shrink!" She muttered to herself as she continued her checks. She swung the ax of the slayer idly in her hand as she walked. It's power coursed through her veins, with it she felt unstoppable, and yet, she swung it as though it were a common tool. "What is up with me?"

"Well if you want my unprofessional opinion? You're worried about killing the love of your life." Spike had appeared from one of the doorways that led to the basement of the large building. He had made it his home, his 'crypt away from crypt' as he had jokingly put it. No one had laughed then. Not even Spike himself.

"I thought you felt that was you? The love of my life I mean, not the guy I'm going to kill."

"Yeah, I got the distinction." Spike half smiled. "I know you still love that old flouncy haired pansy. Nothing I can do about that, but you may have to deal with him, once and for all. Are you really up to that Buffy?"

"Willow might be able to re-ensoul him." Buffy didn't sound half as sure about that as she had wanted to.

"And if Red can't do it? What then?"

"Then I do what I have to do. If he comes here, looking to kill more people. I'll stop him. Any way I can, any way I have to." Again the sound of unwanted uncertainty tinged her voice.

"Maybe Faith should carry the pig sticker this time?" Spike pointed at the Ax. "Just in case you, well, you know, can't do the deed."

"I'll do it Spike. But only if I absolutely have to. And Faith, well she has other stuff to deal with. Like the rest of the kids."

"Yeah, vice principal Faith, who'd ever have seen that coming? Course, I think she only got the job 'cos she's shagging the principal."

Faith's relationship with Principal Wood was fairly common knowledge around the Academy. They weren't exactly secretive, and their rooms were only two floors above the kid's dormitories. Half the building could hear what they got up to sometimes. Buffy just smiled, "Actually, I was the one who talked Wood into taking her on in the position. He wanted to keep that side of his life separate from his work life. I told him that life was too short to keep people at a distance, for any length of time. Even if it's only 9 to 5." 

"Wow! Buffy the philosopher comes into play. I'm impressed. Is that how you live your own life now?"

"Spike, I barely have a life now. We've gone global; I'm working my butt off, trying to stop the world being sucked into hell on a daily basis. I don't have time to do anything. If I'm not jetting off to Tokyo to fight a Gr'shratki demon that's determined to breed with every male child in range, I'm flying off to Paris because another hell mouth just opened up for business."

"Or going to Rome to be with the Eternal?" The sadness in Spike's voice jarred Buffy slightly.

"What? That is so over. It was a fling. Nothing more, no emotional attachments, just plain, old fashioned dirty deeds between consenting adults." Buffy saw the pain in his eyes now. "I never felt for him what I felt for you, what I feel for you." A glimmer showed in Spike's eyes now. "And no Spike. I don't 'fancy a quickie' I've got a headache." Buffy's rebuff of Spikes unspoken advance was rapidly followed by her smile. Which to Spike, felt like mana from on high.

Screams from the direction of the front door jarred the two back to reality. They were running together before they even realised.

The sight that awaited them when the reached the entryway, was one of devastation. Two of the slayers who had been on guard lay at odd angles on the ground, their necks obviously broken. The third, Buffy knew, a German girl by the name of Lianna, was holding her own against Angelus. She had always been the best in the martial arts training groups. Her moves were like fluid, she ducked parried and punched with such grace it almost looked as though she were dancing with Angelus.

"Back off Lianna. He's mine." Buffy shouted as she threw herself at Angelus. Knocking him off his feet. 

"Oh, I'm yours am I? That's so sweet." Angelus laughed under Buffy's onslaught of punches. "No. I mean it. It's sweet." There was anger now in his voice as he punched Buffy in the stomach. Buffy had never felt anything like it. She was lifted off the ground and felt her back hit the ceiling. From her odd perspective, she saw Spike running towards Angelus as a ferocious roar filled the air. He was pissed. Then after what seemed like forever, gravity took hold and she feel towards the floor. As she fell, she went limp, to absorb the impact. She was back on her feet seconds after she had landed. In time to see Spike being thrown off like a rag doll. He flew down the hallway that he had just run from. 

Buffy was still a little winded from the punch; she needed to stall for time to regain her breath. "How did you get in? We did the spell to de-invite you."

"Oh, Buffy. I don't need to be invited in here anymore." Angelus said plainly. A toothy vampiric smile on his face. The evil in his voice was palpable. 

"But that would mean.. Oh my God, now. Dawn" She screamed at the top of her voice.

"Give the girl a prize for being so smart. Then kill her for taking so damn long in figuring it out." The voice came from above her. Buffy didn't need to turn but she did anyway. She saw Kennedy standing at the top of the stairwell, her face distorted by the facial features of a vampire. "Oh, and here's you prize Buffy." Kennedy threw something from the top of the stairs. It hit the ground with a bloody thud. The thing moaned. 

"Dawn." Buffy knelt as she recognised her sister's prone form.

"She's alive?" Angelus asked, looking at Kennedy.

"She tasted funny." There was slight disappointment in Kennedy's voice "Ah, but here comes a sweet meat." Angelus turned and saw what Kennedy meant. Willow had just entered the hall. She glanced around until her eyes fell on Kennedy. Her jaw fell. "Aw sweetie. No hugs?" Kennedy's voice filled with hatred, cut Willow to the core.

"No. No. Not again. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO." With the last cry Angelus found himself lifted off the ground and thrown through the still open doors. The vampire that wore the form of Willow's lover was also thrown backwards with a great force. She struck the wall behind her and was immediately unconscious. The front door slammed behind Angelus, and a glowing blue field covered the doorway. "He won't get in." Willow said. "I'll make sure of it."

Willow strode purposefully up the stairs to where Kennedy had fallen. "Now to deal with you." Tears filled her eyes as she physically lifted Kennedy onto her shoulders and headed towards the sickbay again with her lover. Buffy had picked up Dawn and was hot on the witch's heels.

They reached the small room almost at the same moment. Buffy laid Dawn on one of the beds and crouched down next to her sister. "Dawnie? Can you hear me?" Dawn moaned an indistinct response. Giles was at her back, and placed his hand on her shoulder. Buffy turned and smiled. Without even speaking she knew that her sister would be cared for by the man who had been more of a father to her and Dawn in recent years than their own father had been. She stood and took the couple of steps to cross the room to where Willow was watching Kennedy. "What are you gonna do with her Will?"

"Bring her back." Willow held out her hand and a glowing orb appeared there in her open palm.

"What if she wakes up before you complete the spell?" Buffy never took her eyes off Kennedy. Not thinking for an instant that this former friend wasn't capable of ripping them all to shreds.

"That's why you're here." Willows eyes glowed white. Willow noticed Buffy looking at her eyes. "At least they're not black? Right?" Almost a smile.

"Oh. Are you going to give me my soul back baby? I don't want it!" Kennedy was awake and on her feet so fast. Buffy had barely taken here eyes off her for a second. She was running for the door, when a fist struck her in the face.

"Going nowhere bitch!" Buffy2 stood blocking Kennedy's escape. Kennedy fell backwards, and Buffy2 was on her immediately. "Willow, spell. Now." Buffy2 wrestled with Kennedy on the floor, never once allowing the vampire to gain an advantage. Willow began chanting as Buffy moved to help her double to restrain Kennedy.

"I'll kill you both. I swear it; I'll kill you both. I know that to you, death is a revolving door, but I'll make sure you'll never come back. I'll tear you to shreds. I'll.." Her ranting stopped. A brilliant light filled the room as Willow completed the spell to put Kennedy's soul back in her body. Kennedy seemed to have fallen into unconsciousness.

"Will? Did it work?" Buffy still had a hold of one of Kennedy's arms but looked to her friend for confirmation that it was over.

"It worked the last two times didn't it?" Willow herself looked as though she were ready to faint. She found a seat for herself and fell backwards into it.

Under her weight, Buffy could feel Kennedy stirring. "Buffy?"

"It's alright Kennedy. You're back. Willow cast the spell, you're back in control of your body again."

"Willow cast the curse again?" Kennedy asked. 

"Yup, you're all better now. Come on Kennedy, you're girlfriend needs a hug." Buffy stood up. Buffy2 a little more cautious rose as well.

"Kennedy? What do you mean?" Asked Angel. Speaking from Kennedy's lips.

"Oh, and this isn't going to get complicated at all is it?" Buffy asked no one in particular.

"Uhm, Willow. I don't think the spell worked the way it should have." Buffy said, as she looked into Kennedy's eyes and saw Angel's soul glowing out from behind them.

"But it should have been Kennedy's soul that took her body back, not Angel's. Sorry Buffy, but I wanted my girlfriend back."

"Woulda, shoulda, coulda." The voice came from behind them. Willow and Buffy both spun around to Cordelia standing in the doorway. "You couldn't put Kennedy's soul back, because she had already crossed." 

"Crossed what? Crossed where." Willows frantic tone was tinged with an anger Buffy had only heard once before in Willow. It was a tone she never wanted to hear in her friends voice ever again. 

"She has left the mortal world, she's, and I suppose you could say, gone to heaven. You're spell can only work on souls that are trapped on the mortal plane. Thus, we have Angel back. Kinda." Cordelia's matter of fact, almost flippant tone made Willow angry. 

"Well bring her back. You can bring her back. Right now." Buffy rushed to stand between her two friends.

"Will, your roots are a little black there, calm down. OK?" Buffy looked earnestly into Willow's eyes as she spoke. She could see her friend calm slightly at even the mention of the 'Dark Willow' phase. Buffy turned to Cordelia, "So what's going on Cordy? You seem to know a helluva lot for someone who used to be the biggest airhead, drama queen at school."

"I was never an airhead!" Cordelia retorted angrily. After a few more seconds, she calmed slightly, "Was I really a drama queen? Yeah, I suppose you're right, I was. Sorry." She did actually look penitent. "I only know what I'm told. I'm kind of an agent for the 'Powers that Be' now, and they let me know things. Kennedy has left the mortal plane of existence. She can't be called back now. Well, She could. I suppose. You've done it before, with Buffy. That turned out OK I suppose. But for that spell to work her body would have to be, oh how do I put this. Erm, vacated?" At this, all eyes in the room turned to Kennedy's body now sitting up in the bed. Angel, looking at them quizzically.

"So, what do we do now?" He asked.

"Well, first step is to get your body back, get your soul back into it. Then call Kennedy back from heaven to inhabit her body, then all will be well with the world." Buffy spoke the list as matter of fact as she could.

"And don't forget we have to beat the big bad Pain thing that's coming!" Cordelia added, a slight smile on her face. 

"Are we missing anything out?" Willow asked, "I mean, is there another apocalypse coming and we've missed it?" Willow, despite her sadness had picked up on the humour of her friends and giggled slightly. "One more thing Buff. Would you get jealous if I gave my girlfriend a kiss?"

"Nah, would you get jealous if I gave Angel a kiss?" Everyone smiled, with the exception of Angel.

"I've never been a woman before." At that comment, laughter erupted around the room. A deeper laugh came from the doorway. They all turned to see Spike standing there.

"You know, I didn't think you could beat the time you turned into a puppet. But I was wrong. This is just beautiful." He laughed again as he looked at Angel in Kennedy's body. Angel sprang from the bed and flew at Spike, instantly angered. Kennedy's face had contorted into the nightmarish visage of a vampire. Angel landed the first and only blow of the confrontation. His punch sent Spike flying backwards and through the wall opposite the door.

"Wow. I've never been that strong before." Angel said.

"You've never been inside the body of a vampire slayer who's been vamped." Buffy noticed Spike picking himself up from the rubble of the wall, he was ready to strike back, so she stepped in front of Angel stopping Spike's attack in it's tracks.

"Everyone in here needs some rest. We'll meet up in the library at 9am. That ok with everyone?" Buffy looked around, no one was in the mood to argue anymore. The fight was over. Spike stalked away, down the hall, still sniggering to himself. Angel returned to his bed. Willow, now that the humour had died down, was sitting on the chair, staring off into space. Cordelia followed Spike out of the room and along the corridor to the room she had been given when she arrived. Buffy stayed. She pulled a chair into the middle of the room directly between the two beds occupied by her sister, and her lover. Everyone needed rest, but she knew that she would get none.

6am.

The doorbell rang. Buffy was immediately on guard, no one was due to arrive, she relaxed only slightly when she realised that the sun had risen some time ago, it couldn't be Angelus again, not that he would ever use the doorbell anyway. She heard the door being answered, and the clipped English tones of Chow-An speaking. She couldn't hear who she was speaking to, but when she heard laughter, she knew it couldn't be anything hostile.

A few moments later, Chow-An appeared at the door of the sickbay, "Buffy, are you wakened?" She asked in a hushed tone. Buffy looked over at one of the youngest "active" slayers and nodded. "You have a visitor, old friend he says. Demon I think, says name is Clem?" She still looked uncertain, but then she noticed Buffy's smile and the tense look on her face faded slightly. Buffy liked Chow-An. Her parents had taught her martial arts for as long as she had been able to stand. She could probably outfight Faith if she had to.

Buffy quickly walked to the Main lounge, where Chow-An had ordered Clem to stay. Clem already had company when she arrived. "So where you been hiding Clem?" Xander asked as she walked into the room.

"Oh, here and there. I was in Fort Lauderdale for a while, but the weather didn't suit me, I mean, do I look like my skin needs to be dehydrated any more than it already is?" Clem and Xander both laughed, Buffy smiled as well when Clem spotted her, his face lit up even more. "Buffster." He stood and hugged her as she got close enough.

"It's good to see you Clem. Spike is upstairs in his room right now." Buffy started.

"Oh, I'm not here to see him, I came to see you." Clem answered earnestly. "Wait a minute? Did you say Spike? Isn't he like, well, you know, dead?" 

Buffy smiled again, "Yeah, but he got better apparently." Buffy's eyes rolled slightly as she spoke. "Seems no one around here can stay dead for long. So what brings you all the way up here?" 

"Well, I've got a message to give you. It's from the Immortal." Buffy was immediately all business.

"What's the message?"

"He says, it is as you predicted. This thing that's coming, isn't just taking out the good guys, it's gunning for the demons too. He says that he is personally bringing his forces to join with yours in the coming fight." Buffy nodded. The late night phone call from her London hotel room had been money and time well spent. "And I bumped into another old friend in Washington too." Clem added, "Seems Angel is on his way to see you as well."

"You saw Angel in Washington?" Buffy was on her haunches looking intently at Clem.

"Yeah, he's a nice guy. He got me dinner and everything, and then gave me directions right to your door. I guess he'll be along later, with the sun being up and all."

"He's already been here Clem. It wasn't Angel you spoke to, it was Angelus." Clem was obviously horrified.

"But he was so nice, like Angel always is. Like I said, he got me dinner, two Siamese. OK, they tasted a bit funny, but I haven't eaten in like a day."

"Tasted funny how?" Xander asked

"Kinda metallic, you know? Coppery. Here.." Clem opened his mouth, his real mouth and regurgitated the form of two kittens, "Only digested them a bit." The bits of mottled skin and fur that remained were falling about on the table. Buffy could see something metallic inside the kittens. She looked closer, and heard a faint beeping. She jumped to her feet and grabbed Clem and Xander and ran from the room.

At the top of her voice she shouted as she ran. "Bomb! Everyone take cover!" The explosions came mere seconds after her shout of alarm. The shockwaves knocked her off her feet, as she, Xander and Clem flew against what was left of the staircase. The world spun for a moment, and then all was dark. Buffy could hear voices screaming in pain and fear, but unconsciousness took her quickly and she could help no one, not even herself.

"Buffy? Buffy." The voice sounded distant, vague, like a whisper on the wind. Darkness surrounded her. Buffy spun around on her heels, trying to locate the source of the sounds that had roused her. More voices cried out in the dark. Spinning where she stood, she couldn't locate the source.

"Who are you? Where are you? I can't see you." She cried in the dark.

"You are failing. All is lost." The voices wailed. Buffy finally realised where the voices were coming from, the wind. It wrapped around her whispering in strange voices.

"I don't understand. I'm failing? Failing what exactly?"

"Your testing!"

Buffy awoke with a start. She saw Willow crouched over her, smoke billowing around her friends head. "Thank the Goddess, you're awake." Willow almost cried. "I thought that… Well, I thought you were gone."

"Never going to happen Will. Too much still to do." Buffy's memory finally returned, "The bomb! What happened?"

"Well, the doors took the brunt of the blast, but there was enough explosive in there to bring part of the stairwell down on top of you and Xander. Clem is in the infirmary resting, he had a panic attack thinking that he'd killed you." 

"How long was I out for?" Buffy was shaking her head, trying to clear her still fuzzy thoughts. "Was anyone else hurt? Xander? Is he OK?"

"Xander's fine. Cuts and bruises, Giles is patching him up right now. We're more worried about you. You were unconscious for 15 minutes, you were talking to yourself. You were talking about a test?"

"I was? Yeah, I was having a dream. I was told that I was failing a test; I didn't know what the voices were talking about. What test?"

Nearby... 

"You are succeeding beyond our wildest dreams Angelus." 

"Well, I'm glad you think so. I love this job, causing pain and havoc, it's almost heavenly." Angelus had a smile on his face as he spoke.

"An odd choice of words Angelus." The formless voice replied.

"Well, it seemed apt at the time." The smile never moved from the vampire's lips.

Back at the "School"

"Will? I want you to start working on a spell. I've had enough of fighting on the back foot." Buffy was walking and practically shouting at her friend as she walked.

"What kinda spell you want Buff? Locater spell to find Angelus? Or something else?

"I want a spell that'll bring this whole thing to an end. I want the source of this thing brought here, so we can kill it, or send it away of whatever we can do with primordial forces of creation." Buffy breathed out, in sheer exasperation. "I've had enough of this. I want it ended. I want my life back on track, and most of all, I want Angel back in his own body, and Angelus out of my life."

Willow nodded, "I'll work something out." She hurried off to her room to research and work out how to do what Buffy had asked of her.

Buffy paced what was left of the hall; she felt a hand on her shoulder, and a presence she could never mistake. "Angel…?" She turned around, and stood facing Angelus.

"Hi honey, I'm home." With a sneer on his face Angelus lashed out at Buffy, sending her flying backwards, she struck what was left of a wall at the bottom of what once was the stairwell. Buffy bounced up from the floor, rage and hate etched on her face.

"Bastard!" Buffy threw herself at Angelus, her hand instinctively finding a shaft of wood en route. Angelus laughed loudly as he swept her hand and the makeshift stake aside. He caught her and spun her around so that he had her in a headlock.

"Now can we talk sweetie? I honestly didn't come here to kill you, I..." He didn't even manage to complete the sentence. A loud growl erupted from the shadows somewhere above them, in the desolation that was the second floor hallway. "Now what?"

"Let her go, you son of a bitch!" Angelus looked up as he saw a feral twin of Buffy flying head first in his direction. He tried to avoid her, but the real Buffy, who must have figured out what her twin was doing, anchored herself and left the vampire immobile. The feral Buffy ploughed through the air, and slammed fists first into Angelus. Her innate slayer strength, combined with the undeniable strength and "pull" of gravity, gave her body and punch, the force of a small truck. Angelus crumpled under the attack. "Stay down." So sudden was Angelus' release of Buffy that she flew forward, almost landing on her knees, she used her martial arts training to change the fall into a roll, she was back on her feet in almost as fast as she fell. She now looked admiringly at her 'other self.'

"Nice work." Buffy smiled.

"Yeah, felt good. I'm feeling more like myself now." The Other Buffy smiled, it looked odd though, a lopsided grin.

"Do I smile like that?" Buffy asked herself.

"What's going on down here?" Giles shouted as he stormed along the hall. "Angelus?" He stared agog at the site of two Buffy's and an unconscious Angelus. "Would someone care to explain this? What's happened?"

"Well, he attacked me, and then my twin here kicked his ass." Buffy stated succinctly. 

"You helped. He would have dodged if you hadn't held him in place."

"Yeah, but you did the hard work."

"Can we please forego the mutual, or should that be self, congratulation. What are we going to do with him?"

"We chain him up until we work out how to get Angel out of Kennedy's body safely, and back into his own body. Then we can take care of this Pain thing that started it all."

"Yes, and then we can bring about world peace, feed the starving, and create clean renewable energy sources for the whole world." Giles sounded deadly serious, only his lopsided, oh so English, grin let his real feelings be known. 

"Yeah, that sounds like a great plan Giles, you get to work on the other stuff, and we'll deal with the big bad." Buffy smiled, her flippancy not completely covering the concern she felt for the vampire she had only recently come to realise, was her soul mate.

Both Buffy's took an arm of the unconscious vampire and dragged him to the library. "It's strange." Buffy thought to herself as she moved, "most people have books in their libraries, we have cages and chains. Even stranger, no one seems to think it's weird but me." She smiled again, this time genuinely as she put the manacles on Angelus, and locked the cage. Willow looked on from her seat, at a desk covered with at least a dozen tomes, old and black some bound in leather, some in other materials. Parchments and scrolls were also piled on the table; she smiled wanly at Buffy, and returned to her task.

"Cordelia, can you tell us any more about this thing, this Pain creature that we're facing?" Giles sat across from the young woman who had miraculously returned form the dead, again, with the warning about the great evil that now threatened all of existence.

"Giles, I only know what the big guys tell me. They told me that Pain was coming, and that you needed to prepare for it. I was to give you that warning, and well, I don't even know why I'm still here. They told me to pass the warning, and I was kind of expecting to head back upstairs." The look of consternation on her face was earnest; Giles knew that she had no further knowledge of the creature the faced, either its abilities or plans. He turned to the other figure sitting at the table.

"Don't look at me? I only know that my world went to hell in a handbag, and it happened practically overnight." Anya had been sitting quietly, an unusual state for her, Giles had to admit, and he felt there may be more that she didn't want to tell. "Tara was our brains trust person; she seemed to understand what was going on. But, she couldn't keep the doorway open and come through it herself." Anya's eyes welled up with tears as she remembered saying her farewells to the woman, who was effectively sacrificing her own life to save her and Buffy, and this entire reality, from the creature that had so resoundingly destroyed theirs. She might have been useful to you. I'm only a flunky; I've always been a flunky. But if you tell Xander that, I'll deny it." She fell silent, her face ashen.

"I understand that you're upset thinking about this, but is their anything else that could help us in any way?" Giles pushed gently, knowing full well that Anya was on the brink of nervous hysteria.

"Well, Tara did say something, just before she sent us through the portal. But I can't tell you about it while she's here." She stared pointedly at Cordelia.

"Fine!" Cordelia strutted off; I need to check on Angel anyway.

"Now, what did Tara tell you Anya? ..." Giles asked.

The Library.

"I've got it. I know how to bring the big bad right to us." Willow was practically jumping for joy.

"And this would be a good thing why?" Xander chipped in. This thing destroys Universes, he's Galactus on steroids."

"Well, we need to bring this to a head. I want it stopped, one way or the other." Buffy snapped, and then playfully added, "You can tell it the crayon story, that always works." Buffy laughed, Willow joined her as she spotted Xander's growing embarrassment.

"On a more serious matter, I've found a way to switch souls. I can put Angel back where he belongs, but that'll just free the vamp that is in Kennedy's body right now. But I've got a plan to deal with that too."

"You don't wanna know who's responsible for all of this." Angel sneered from his cell. Pacing like a wild animal.

"You're claiming to know who's behind this?" Buffy glanced in the direction of the cage, not wanting to encourage the usual rantings of Angelus.

"Of course! You don't think I sign on with anyone without knowing what I'm joining in with, do you? Angelus deepened his sneer, "but before you ask, no, I'm not going to tell you."

"Fine, then we'll find out for ourselves. Willow, start the mojo." Buffy stalked out of the Library. 

Later.

"You sure you're ready for this Will?" Buffy genuinely concerned for her friend, put a hand on Willow's shoulder.

"Yep, I'll just put Angel back in his body, and call up the potentially most powerful bad guy we've ever faced, all in the space of a few minutes. It's a Piece of cake." Willow added, "very big and scary cake, but cake never the less." Willow began the incantations required to remove Angel's soul from Kennedy's body, and place it in his own."

The Library filled with smoke and strange eerie blue lights. "Cool." Xander said, "I'd pay to see this show." A glass orb appeared in Willows hand. "Oooh, an orb of Thesalah, I've seen that before, wow, how did you just make that appear in your hand Will?" Xander noticed several people staring at him and making shush gestures. "Sorry, forget I spoke." Willow, to her credit, continued unabated by Xander's innocent interruption of the proceedings. The orb in her hand glowed brightly, and then vanished. 

Willow wilted slightly, in the cage in the corner of the Library Angel's eyes glowed brightly as he reasserted control over his body, keeping Angelus tightly under control. "I'm back." Angel gasped. The memories of the actions taken by Angelus filled his memory. Angelus wanted him to know what was coming. "Willow, don't do it." He gasped, as he saw the wiccan begin the chanting to call forth the power responsible for the pain that had been spreading across the world.

Willow's eyes had turned opaque as she chanted. The chant became rhythmic and except for changes in pitch, almost repetitive and hypnotic.

A vortex appeared in front of Willow and two forms appeared. Angel recognised them instantly. 

"How dare you summon us? We are not yours to call upon on a whim."

"Who the hell are you?" Buffy asked the Golden figures who stood before her.

"They're the conduits. The direct line of contact between our world and the Powers that Be." Angel said as he walked free of the cage, released by Cordelia, who now also looked on in shock. The Powers are testing you Buffy. They're testing the entire world."

Buffy looked from Angel to the conduits, and asked simply, "Why?"

"To see if you are ready. We have judged that you are."

"Ready for what?" Willow asked. "Why are you doing this?"

"The End of Days is coming. We needed to be sure that our champions were ready for the fight."

"What do you mean? The end of days? The Apocalypse? Again?" Xander asked.

"The one true ending of your existence is nigh. The forces of light and dark are rallying as we speak. The end is coming, it is inevitable. Such is the command of the Powers that be."

"What about Kenendy? Or Rona? They're dead, are you going to bring them back?" Willow wilted slightly, but she shouted at the conduits.

"Oh, the little creature makes demands of us. How sweet." The female conduit spoke. "No, your friends are gone, they shall join the ethereal armies awaiting the end. When light gloriously defeats the darkness for ever. Then your souls shall transcend this existence, and live in light eternal."

"What if we don't want to go? What if we decide not to fight for you?" Buffy took a defensive stance in front of Willow, she could see her friend getting angrier, and angrier, her hair darkened and her eye's following suit.

"Then in that situation, you would be classified as enemies of the light, and you would be cast into oblivion. Now, neither the powers that be, nor, we are sure, you, want that to happen do we?"

"Bring them back." Willow was, in the blink of an eye, in front of Buffy. Facing down the conduits, her hair darker than coal, and eyes, likes onyx. Lightning crackled around her outstretched fingers. "Bring them back now!"

"The little witch challenges us, how delightful." The male conduit laughed. "You have not the power to stand against the powers of the light. Do not endanger your immortal soul in trying." He began laughing again, until that is, bolts of lightning sprang from Willows hands and struck him squarely in the chest. He looked down and saw darkness spread across his chest and up and down his body, he then exploded in, what can only be described as an explosion of darkness and light.

The female was shocked. "You will be made to suffer for this, Witch." She raised her hand as though to point at Willow, but another hand grabbed hers and raised it up above her head.

"No you don't you bitch." Cordelia held the conduits hand aloft. "You think you can come in here, announce the end of the world, and then when my friend gets pissed, you try and kill her? Ain't gonna happen lady." The conduit struggled against Cordelia's grip, but Cordelia found herself filled with such rage that these so called good beings, had plotted to destroy the world, and hadn't even told her, she held the conduit fast. Willow still fuelled by rage, ran at the conduit and gripped her by the throat.

"Burn!" Willow said simply, but the results were far from simple. The conduit burned, screaming as she burned, Cordelia barely had time to remove her hand before the conduits entire arm was engulfed in flames.

"Will, calm down. We need to think about this." Buffy grabbed her friends. 

"No, we don't need to think, we need to kill them. We need to stop them, they're going to destroy the world." Willow began to shudder as the realisation of what she had just done, hit home.

"We will, I promise you Willow, we will stop them." Buffy added as her friend almost collapsed in her arms sobbing. 

"Buffy! You can't be serious. They've got the powers of Gods?" Giles stared at his slayer.

"I know, but they've done enough killing. I've had enough of it Giles. It's going to end, and it's going to end now."

"Buffy. You don't have to do this because of me." Willow turned to look at her friend, her hair still black as pitch, her eyes like pools of total darkness, but tinged with such sadness, the likes of which Buffy could not bear to see.

"This isn't because of what you've done Willow. These bastards won't be allowed to get away with what they've done."

"But," Angel put in, "how in the hells are we going to kill the powers that be?"

To be continued in Buffy: War with the Gods.


End file.
